


Mango Tree

by jell_0_shot



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 04:56:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4774310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jell_0_shot/pseuds/jell_0_shot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by the song Mango Tree by Angus and Julia Stone, this story shows little snapshots of the pivotal parts of Ben and Leslie's lives as they grow up together in Pawnee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mango Tree

Pawnee was flashing past Leslie Knope’s eyes like a comic strip. She’d never moved towns before but her parents had promised she’d love it here. As they pulled into their new driveway, Leslie got her first glimpse at the house that would soon become her home. It was big and not quite hers yet.

They let her have first pick of the bedrooms; she chose the oddly-shaped one on the second floor that overlooked the backyard and the side of their neighbours’ brick house. Her father linked his pinkie through hers and swore he’d make her a treehouse in the solid oak outside.

Pawnee wasn’t too bad so far.

Marlene and Robert Knope prided themselves on their daughters’ manners. She was exceptionally polite for a young girl her age; she smiled at adults, answered their questions about school in the sweetest tone, and always looked them in the eyes as she talked. But just because she was well-behaved didn’t mean she enjoyed being dragged around the neighbourhood, introducing herself to every family that opened their door.

Leslie noticed that her mothers’ charm was becoming more and more forced as they weaved their way around the cul-de-sac.

“This is the last house, Leslie. Just one more.” Her father’s eyes were kind as they smiled down at her. He had always been warmer than her mother, although she loved them both the same. Robert just had a knack for people; he understood how they worked, knew how to please them.

He squeezed her hand as the wooden door was swung open by a brunette in an apron. Her eyes darted between the three of them standing on her doorstep, confused at the unexpected visit.

“Hi, we’re your new neighbours. We just moved in next door.” Her father pointed at their house.

The lady wiped her floury hands on her stomach, “Oh, you bought it off the Johnston’s?”

Marlene nodded. “I’m Marlene. This is my husband, Robert, and our daughter Leslie.” Her mother’s palm found her shoulder, the same way it had at every other house they’d visited.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Julia Wyatt. Would you like to come in?”

“Oh no, you seem busy. We wouldn’t want to intrude –“

“Nonsense.” Julia waved her hands in dismissal. She smiled at Leslie, “Plus I have a son who looks about your age, Leslie. I’m sure you’ll get along great.” She moved further into the house, leaving the Knope’s with no other option but to follow.

“Steve?” Julia called out, and a balding man emerged from the garage. He barely said a word, aside from introducing himself.

A mousey-haired boy stood in the doorway. He was watching Leslie trail her father around his sitting room. She noticed his stare and walked over to where he was standing.  
Her blonde mess of hair bobbed as she cocked her head to the side, “Who are you?”

“I’m Ben. Who are you?”

Leslie didn’t reply. 

“Want to come and play?” He asked.

Leslie looked back at her parents who were deep in conversation with Julia, gossiping about each of the neighbours and discussing which local school was the best.

“Okay.”

She followed him down the hallway into a second, less formal lounge. The floor was covered with a miniature train set; the tracks weaved under the coffee table and around the sofa.

“I’m Leslie Knope.” She held out her hand and shook his firmly, just like her father had taught her. “I’m 8 years old and I’m in charge.”

Ben’s brows creased, “But I’m older. I’m 9. That makes me in charge.”

She looked him up and down.

“No.” She confirmed, “I’m in charge.”

Leslie insisted on pushing Ben’s favourite train around the set, which led to an hour of continuous bickering. Ben’s little sister Stephanie giggled from the couch as she watched Leslie boss her brother around.

Their play was interrupted by Leslie’s parents telling her that they were heading home.

“Please can she stay a little while longer, Mr. and Mrs. Knope?”

Robert chuckled at his charm, “I don’t see why not. Leslie?”

Leslie looked at the boy; he was scrawny with knees that knocked together and he had a tendency to be completely unreasonable. But she was drawn to him, and it would be nice to have a friend in Pawnee. She nodded at her father.

“Alright, we’ll see you back at the house in a few hours then.” He ruffled up her hair before they left.

The two returned to their made-up world of trains, but before long there was a loud clang ringing out from the kitchen. Leslie frowned, “Is everything okay?”

Muffled shouts echoed around the house. “The least you could have done…the worst first impression…what on earth will they think of us…”

Ben’s eyes dropped to his palms, ashamed. The yelling continued. Leslie’s parents often fought, but never this loud or with this much anger. She sensed from Ben and Stephanie’s reactions that this was a common occurrence.

“Is there a park nearby?”

Ben looked at her, relieved. “There’s one about ten minutes from here.” He raised his voice above his parents’ shouts, “Would you like me to show you it?”

Stephanie – who had been lying on the couch with her hands covering her ears – perked up. The three of them slipped out the front door and began their adventure.

Stephanie made a beeline for the swing set the second their feet felt grass. Leslie was about to join her when she realised Ben was hanging back. She raised her eyebrows at him, inquisitively.

“I’m more of a tree-climber.”

Leslie’s eyes lit up, “Really? I love climbing trees!”

They chose the tallest one, obviously.

“I bet a pack of gum I can climb higher than you.” Leslie had a competitive streak and she wasn’t going to let any opportunity to win go by. Ben laughed and started pulling himself up, branch by branch. She let him get a head start because she knew she was going to win anyway.

And she was right. She managed to climb all the way to the top, while Ben was stuck a few trunks down.

“Fine. You win.” Ben’s pride was hurt.

Leslie gasped in excitement from her superior perch, “Ben, there’s a mango tree in that person’s backyard. Mangos are my favourite!”

Ben smiled, “Let’s go and get one then.” He found his footing on the branch below and began to make his way back to the ground. Leslie felt a rush of adrenaline pump through her body; she wasn’t much of a rule breaker, but there was something about Ben that made her want to prove herself.

She followed him down the tree, “What if we get caught?”

“We won’t, don’t worry.”

They couldn’t stop giggling. Ben helped Leslie get her foot onto a ledge of the fence, before she swung her legs over and jumped onto the other side. Ben joined her.

“Wow.” Leslie was shocked. They’d just landed on the grounds of a mansion – or what looked like a mansion to an eight year-old.

Ben looked at Leslie and shrugged, “The guy that owns this house is pretty rich. We all call him Jamm-donut.” Ben smiled to himself at the nickname and headed towards the tree. It was covered in ripe mangos and created an umbrella of shade against the sun. Ben picked two and handed the bigger one to Leslie.

“How’d you know this was a mango tree from up there?”

She rubbed the mango on her shorts and bit into it, “Because I’m smart.”

They both lay down in the soft grass and stared at the zig-zagging puzzle of tree trunks. They didn’t say a word while they ate their mangos; they just let their hearts start beating at a normal pace again.

As they headed back to check on Stephanie, Leslie couldn’t help but smile at the fun she’d already had in Pawnee. With people like Ben as her friend, she’d fall in love with Pawnee.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Leslie was nine, she watched Mr. Wyatt cross his front yard with a suitcase dragging behind him. She watched him load his Impala with boxes full of shoes and tools. She watched Mrs. Wyatt storm outside and throw his golf clubs at the fence. She watched his tyres spin as he drove away.

She watched from her bedroom window. He never came back.

Leslie had become accustomed to climbing up the side of Ben’s house; they’d spent almost every evening lying on his roof during the summer. They used to play Uno and talk about the stars. She noticed that Ben had taken refuge there tonight despite the cold. She grabbed a blanket and joined him.

Words were her currency but it didn’t feel like the right moment to spend them. Instead, she sat quietly and handed him pieces of Hershey’s every time another tear fell down his face.

“I hate him.”

Leslie squinted at him as his voice hung in the air, assessing whether it was emotion or conviction speaking. She looked back out at their street – the place she now called home – and saw the trail of red that his father had left behind. Red for anger; red for pain. The road was tainted.

“I hate him too.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie Knope was ten years old and fatherless.

She was sick of adults telling her she was far too young to have lost her dad. No one should have to lose their dad; it doesn’t matter how old you are. Adults didn’t make any sense.

She’d wanted to wear her yellow dress, the one her father said made her look like sunshine. But her mother had handed her a pleated black one instead. All she could remember from the service was a blur of water colours in front of her eyes.

Ben had sat beside her afterwards, holding her hand. Under any other circumstance, she’d find it gross. Boys still had cooties. Today, however, it was comforting.  
Marlene took Leslie and Ben for waffles at JJ’s once everyone had left the wake.

“It’ll cheer you up.” She’d insisted.

JJ himself came over to serve them, gave Marlene a hug and told Leslie he’d put extra whipped cream on hers.

“We could have a competition like how you and Robert used to.” Ben was smiling at her shyly, too young to know how to act around someone who had lost their father.

She nodded, “Yeah, okay.”

But when they came out from the kitchen, Leslie just wanted to cry. Ben began to eat his as quickly as he could, she just let hers go cold.

Everything was cold.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three years after her father passed, Leslie started eating waffles again.

She’d been living off pancakes but it just wasn’t the same. It was around the time that she got reacquainted with waffles that she decided she wanted to be the president.

“I’m going to start out in local government like you, just to get some experience. Then I’ll become mayor, but eventually I’m going to be running the country.”

Marlene nodded at her daughter from behind her coffee travel mug. She reminded her so much of Robert; so stubborn and driven.

“Sounds like a good plan.” She squeezed her daughters’ arm before heading out for work.

Ben was less than enthused by the idea.

“All politicians are old and grumpy. Why would you want to do something so boring? When I grow up, I’m going to be a policeman. That would never be boring.”

Leslie snorted as she reached up for another mango, “Yeah right, you’re a complete wuss. Last year you cried when a police car just drove past us.”

He threw his pip at her. 

After five years of friendship, it was safe to say that Leslie and Ben were inseparable. Unfortunately, they had reached the age where the teasing began; in everybody else’s eyes their relationship was turning from childhood buddies to budding romance. Both of them were extremely defensive on this matter.

“We’re just friends, mom. Boys are still disgusting.”

Leslie was constantly rolling her eyes at the mention of them being a couple. Ben was her friend; growing taller every day but still that little boy with knobbly knees in her mind. The only place that they were free from the mocking was under their tree.

They’d almost been caught stealing mangos a handful of times, but they soon discovered that Councilman Jamm never bothered to look up in the trees when he thought he’d seen two children in his backyard. Every time it happened, Leslie would complain to Ben from the branches about how much easier it would be if she had a mango tree in her own garden. He always promised that he’d plant one there one day.

But until that day, they had to keep jumping Jamm’s fence. They often spent hours on end just lying on their backs or trying to play knucklebones in the grass. Today was no exception.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve told you, Les. There was something in my eye that day. It just happened to be when the car drove past.”

Leslie laughed. There was no way he would ever admit the truth, he was far too stubborn for that. She decided to change the subject.

“So, how are things with Amber Warts going?”

“It Walker. Amber Walker. And it’s going fine.”

“Have you kissed her yet?” Leslie was more interested in politics and Alanis Morrisette’s latest album than boys, but she indulged Ben. He’d just started his freshman year at high school so girls had become his second priority (Stars Wars owned the top spot). She didn’t mind hearing about his latest girlfriend, but every time she saw him with another girl, her stomach twisted itself into a knot. She didn’t want some girl who barely knew him to take her friend away from her.

Ben’s cheeks blushed, “Um yeah.”

Leslie threw his pip back at him.

“Gross.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie spent many evenings sprawled out on Ben’s floor studying during her junior year of high school. Ben would lie on his bed with a textbook pretending to study too, but his eyes were always glued to the television set playing in the background.

It was one such evening. Marlene was working late again, so Leslie was doing her history assignment at Ben’s. Piles of notes on the Prohibition surrounded Leslie, each colour-coded.

“Hey Les?” Ben’s voice sounded off.

She mumbled through the highlighter in her mouth, “Yeah?”

He pointed the remote at the screen and turned The Price is Right off. Leslie looked up at him, concerned.

“I need your advice about something.” She nodded and pushed her notes to the side, his cue to continue, “Well, Bindy Millar is coming over later. And I really want to kiss her tonight, but she’s practically the most popular girl in the school. It needs to be really special…and you’re always good with ideas…” He petered out. 

Leslie rolled off her stomach and lifted herself up. As she paced his room back and forth, he could see her nibbling the corner of her mouth, thinking.

“Where’s that old turntable you used to have?”

He pointed at his wardrobe. She got lost in it for a few minutes before re-emerging and setting the record player up. She squinted as she placed the needle at the start of the last song.

As the first few notes of Stand By Me rang out – loud, she’d turned the volume right up – Leslie stood up and began to move. Her hips were twisting in time with the music, her arms floated as she twirled, her legs knew exactly when to bend; her body was singing a duet with Otis Redding.

“When the night has come, and the land is dark…” Her voice was soft as she danced by herself, seeming to forget that Ben was still in the room.

For some reason, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. The way she was moving was taking up all of the space, all of the air; he was suffocating. Her loose curls were bouncing with the music, her skin was gliding through the air. He’d never seen her dance before.

She’s so beautiful.

The thought crossed his mind before he realised how much he meant it. Leslie Knope, the one who used to win all of their burping competitions, the one who would always climb the trees higher than him, the one who he’d known for so many years, was completely and utterly, breathtakingly beautiful.

Leslie noticed his stare, “Come on.”

She was smiling and spinning and so goddamn pretty. How had he never realised? Ben stood up and tried to join in but he’d never been much of a dancer. Leslie was like liquid when she danced; fluid and flowing through him. He could barely bob his head without looking awkward.

“Move in time with the music.” Leslie exaggerated her dips and twirls as each beat passed.

Ben tried bending his knees, “I don’t know how to. Also, how is this helping me find a way to kiss Bindy?” Kissing Bindy was the last thing on his mind but he needed something to distract himself from the feelings that were surfacing.

“You’ll see.”

Leslie began to move towards him. Her hands found his hips and she began to roll them until he was moving too. Once satisfied, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed down. “Relax. Don’t hunch.” As he started to get the hang of it, she began dancing again but she didn’t take a step back. They were so close he could feel her thighs grazing against his.

As the song began to draw to a close, she grabbed his hand and slipped it onto her back.

“Got me?”

He nodded, and she arched her back and curved around the air. When she rolled back to him, her whole body was pressed against his and their faces were closer than they’d ever been in eight years of friendship.

Come on, pretty baby…stand by me…I need a little love…

The song was fading out and Ben wanted to close the gap between their lips. He was desperate to kiss her. He’d never seen her this way before, but suddenly it all made sense to him. This is what they were meant to be. Their bodies were finally still, locked into this moment. Both of their breaths were heavy and mixing but their mouths never touched. Silence seeped through the room and the needle clicked back into place. They stood together for a second more, before breaking apart.

“That’s how you should do it.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie had absolutely no idea what to think about what had happened between her and Ben earlier. She kept replaying the scene over and over in her head, trying to make sense of it. It didn’t make sense. Something electric had flown through them, changed something.

You’re just friends. You both just caught up in the moment, she kept repeating to herself. Once she had calmed herself down, she believed it. Of course they were just friends. Theirs was the most platonic friendship she knew.

She peeked out of her window at Ben’s house. Squinting against the dark, she could just make out his silhouette wandering down his path.

A knock sounded on the front door.

Leslie frowned and made her way downstairs. He was standing on the step, hands in his pockets.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be with Bindy?” Leslie checked to see if Bindy was behind him but the air was empty.

Ben pushed past her and sat on the arm of their sofa, “My plans with Bindy fell through.” He stood up and walked over to the mantelpiece. Leslie watched as he studied one of her primary school photographs in the largest silver frame.

“That’s a shame.” Leslie took Ben’s spot on the sofa and leaned against it.

Ben shrugged, “So do you wanna catch a movie or something? We could go to the arcade or something.”

Oh. She was just his back-up plan for a failed date.

“Fine, but you owe me big time. And don’t get too used to the idea of me being your back-up every time a girl cancels on you.” She smiled at him, assuring him that she was only teasing.

“No, Leslie. That’s not what I was meaning at all –“

She cut him off and headed for the stairs, yelling behind her, “It’s fine, honestly. I’ll just grab my coat.”

She took the stairs two at a time, but when she reached the bottom again Ben was nowhere to be seen. The room was quiet and lonely and cold. She ran to the still-open door in case he’d just needed some air, but he was gone.

He was gone.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie was 17 by the time Ben looked at her again.

Over the past year, they had become strangers. At first, Leslie had tried to talk to him and understand what she had done wrong, but every time he would deflect her questions or ignore her. He never answered the door, he never called back. She’d walk outside in the morning, and instead of being greeted by his latest Star Wars theory, absence said hello. Eventually, she gave up – even someone as persistent as Leslie could tell she wasn’t wanted. He broke her heart the way only best friends can.

It was the night of prom and Leslie had chosen a long, backless dress that made her look taller than she actually was. She’d become close with a transfer student called Ann over the last few months so they were going to prom together, alone.

Marlene fussed around her and took photos from every angle. Just as Leslie was about to leave, she burst into tears and grabbed her hands. She was holding them too tightly, “Your father would be so proud of you, Leslie. You look amazing.”

Leslie gave her mother a quick hug, managed to get away before her own tears fell, and jumped into Ann’s car. The hall was decked out as a winter wonderland; snowflakes and ice sculptures and blues. The two girls made a beeline for the food table where they loaded up their napkins with snacks and giggled.

A deep voice coughed behind them. They both turned and found a boy from their year level named Chris in front of them. His hair was slicked back and his bow tie looked as if it were suffocating him.

“Hi Leslie! Hi Ann!” He smiled at them both, “Ann, I was just wondering if you’d like to dance with me?” He was an odd mix of confidence and sheepishness.

Ann’s eyes flickered to Leslie, who smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

As Ann and Chris weaved their way onto the dancefloor, Leslie found an empty spot on the bleachers. Normally she’d be dancing by now, but something was weighing on her heart and she couldn’t figure out what it was.

“I always assumed this would be our night, me and you.”

She hadn’t even realised that someone was sitting beside her. She lifted her head and saw his familiar jawline.

“As friends, of course.” He met her gaze, “You look really beautiful tonight, Leslie.”

His tone was odd and neither of them could look away. Pain was etched into Ben’s face, swimming in his eyes. She couldn’t work out why, but she was in pain too. This hurts, was all she could think.

“Ben, can we just –“

A tall, slim brunette in a dress that matched his tie appeared and pulled Ben away, barely acknowledging Leslie. She watched him walk away from her, praying that he’d look back. He didn’t.

And then he was gone again for another year.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Their interaction at prom hadn’t stopped playing on Leslie’s mind for the past year. Every time she saw him leaving the house with a different brunette, she pictured the way he’d looked at her when he said she was beautiful. Whenever she got confused about their friendship – or their lack of – she wandered down to their mango tree to clear her head.  
She often took her notebooks and binders with her. She found it more peaceful to work in the company of a tree than a highly-strung mother.

She had two assignments due (not for another month, but she liked to get ahead of her school work) so she gathered her notes and headed down to the park. This route always reminded her of Ben.

Just try not to think about him, she told herself. She often reminded herself not to waste time thinking about him. But there was no way she could avoid it as she neared the tree; he was standing at the fence, peering over the top.

“Ben?”

He spun around, confused. Leslie couldn’t figure out his expression when he registered that it was her.

“Oh hey, Leslie.” He turned his back to her again. He didn’t offer any explanation about what he was doing or why he was even there in the first place.

“Why are you here?”

He kept his eyes strained over the fence, “I come here to think sometimes. How about you?”

“Same, I guess.” She pulled her ring binder to her chest.

Another moment passed by awkwardly.

“So are you going to the tree? If you are I can just go home…” She trailed off, unsure how to act or what to say.

“They cut the tree down.”

Leslie didn’t – couldn’t – believe him. Not their tree. She rushed over and joined him at the fence. He wasn’t lying; their childhood was nothing but a stump.

She snorted, “How poetic.”

He turned to face her and she realised she’d hurt his feelings. Behind the pain in his eyes he was scanning her, searching for something.

“I just meant…you know, it’s kind of a metaphor of our friendship…” God, she was uncomfortable.

“I’m going to miss that tree.” He finally looked away and sunk to the ground, his back sliding against the fence. Absentmindedly, he picked at the grass.

“I’m probably the last person you want to talk to, but is there something else on your mind? I’m a good listener, remember?” Despite how much he had hurt her by completely disregarding their friendship, she still felt an intense desire to help him. She slid down next to him.

He wiped the pile of grass blades he’d collected off his jeans and took a deep breath, “I want to be mayor.”

Leslie tried to process; Ben Wyatt, the one who had once spent three years of his life mocking her for wanting to have a career in politics, wanted to become the mayor. She nodded, waiting for more.

“And I’m not sure how to tell my girlfriend about it. I know it sounds silly, but I want to make a difference. A real, big difference. I’m good at maths, sure. But I’m not going to come home from being an accountant and feel good about my job. I’m going to become the mayor of Pawnee one day, Leslie.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her.

She imagined him working at City Hall, attending ceremonies and making big decisions. It kind of made sense. She smiled, wondering why it had never dawned on her before. It fit.

“I can see that.” She smiled at him, but it was a distant smile. The kind you reserve for people you just met.

“Really? But wouldn’t you hate the fact that I’d be your boss?”

She stood up and wiped the dried mud off her pants, “Oh you wouldn’t be for long. I’m going to be the Governor of Indiana. And then eventually the president.”

“Of course.” Ben chuckled like in the old days.

Leslie waved goodbye, a little unnerved by the whole situation. Losing the tree was like a punch to the stomach, or a symbol of her dead friendship with Ben.

Either way, she wanted to throw up.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie Knope fell in love on a Saturday morning. She’d slept in – a rare occasion for her – before stumbling down the stairs in search of coffee. Marlene was still sitting at the dining room table where Leslie had left her the night before.

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

She shook her head. “Ben’s waiting outside for you.” Marlene’s voice was offhand and distracted; she was engrossed in her mountain of files.

“It’s raining.”

Her mother shrugged and motioned towards the back door. Leslie wandered over to see what she was talking about. The sky was crying – no, sobbing. It hadn’t rained this much for months. And there he was; wet and digging and there.

She didn’t hesitate for a second; the handle was twisting in her fingers and she was outside getting stung by water.

“Ben!” She yelled.

The rain was loud but he heard her voice. He stood up from his crouched position, soil coating his palms.

“Leslie.” He didn’t yell back; simply tasted her name on his tongue.

“Are you crazy? What on earth are you doing?” She was in disbelief.

Ben wiped his hand across his forehead in an attempt to keep the rain out of his eyes, but he was left with a line of mud instead.

“You remember when you were thirteen? We used to spend every day at our mango tree. You would give me advice about girls and I’d tell you how shit of an idea it was to get into government?”

Leslie nodded.

Ben took a step closer to her. “That summer you told me you wished you had a mango tree in your own backyard. I promised you I would plant one but I never did. I didn’t do a lot of things I should have done, Leslie.” He stepped aside. A small mango tree stood upright, freshly planted. It was weak and new and so beautiful.

“Why today? It’s pouring down.”

“I know but I just needed to do this now. I’m so sorry that I let my pride get in the way of our friendship when you rejected me. I was such an idiot.”

“It’s okay. Wait, rejected you? What do you mean?” The inside of her head was chaos.

“You know when I asked you to the movies when we were about sixteen? I meant it as a date. But you were so adamant that I was asking you as a back-up because my date fell through, you wouldn’t listen. I figured you didn’t see me in that way so I left.”

Ben could tell that Leslie was blindsided, trying to register everything he was saying.

“I cancelled that date because I realised I wanted it to be with you.”

He seemed so sure of himself, of what he was saying. Leslie couldn’t tell if she was crying or not, either way her cheeks were wet and running. “I didn’t know.”

Ben’s voice changed, “I broke up with Sarah.”

“Why?”

“I told her about wanting to go into politics, and eventually become mayor. She laughed in my face.”

He moved beside her and they both stared at their new tree for a while. “I was such a jerk to you for years, yet you were still so supportive of me when I told you about it. That meant a lot to me, it made everything very clear.”

Standing in the rain, with a mud-soaked Ben standing next to her, she finally realised something. She loved him. She was young and naïve and she loved him. All of the unexplainable pain and longing from the past few years were starting make sense; her heart had been aching for him. They’d never been ‘just friends’, not really. They were two people running towards the same thing, blindfolded. No one was giving them directions. They’d stumbled and fallen, but now they were getting back up.

“Can I have you?” Her voice was shaky.

“I’ve been so stupid, Leslie. God…” He shook his head and turned towards her. He kept his eyes locked on hers and she didn’t dare look down. Leslie’s heart was beating out of control; her skin was electrified by his closeness.

She repeated herself, “Can I have you?”

“You do.”

And his lips were upon hers, desperate. The pair were a tangle of mud and rain and arms, ten years pouring into one beautiful moment. His kisses were careful and on purpose; they told her that he loved her too.

He had loved her from that very first day under their mango tree.


End file.
